5 Smart Water Bottles Better Than The Stanley Cup
Good Gear editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here.
Good Gear editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Learn more about our methodology and business model here.
When engineer William Stanley, Jr. invented the first steel vacuum-sealed bottle in 1913, it’s unlikely he could have predicted that 100 years later, he’d be motivating people to stay healthy and hydrated. The 40-ounce Stanley Quencher, aka the “Stanley Cup,” debuted on the market in 2016 and catapulted to its current status as the most desired accessory last year thanks to social media influencers and #watertok — but is it the best water bottle out there?
Here at Good Gear, we get excited about any water-carrying vessel that allows for proper hydration, but there’s been a recent influx of bottles with smart features to enhance your well-being even more. Below, find out about all the features available and our favorites for daily use.
Why choose a smart water bottle?
Smart water bottles offer features like custom reminders to track water consumption throughout the day, the calculation of your specific water needs, and even the ability to find your bottle if it is misplaced. These features can take the guesswork out of staying hydrated.
Clean, good-tasting water is also an essential — and many smart bottle options can clean water from any source, filtering out chemicals, PFAS, and bacteria. Some of these technologies clean not only your water but also the bottle using UV light technology. Considering that researchers have found that without proper cleaning and care, our reusable water bottles can harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat, self-cleaning bottles are a significant plus.
Our criteria:
Our editors have personally tested and researched the top smart water bottles on the market, including reading through hundreds of customer reviews. This guide includes our top picks for safe bottles with valuable features to improve your hydration habits and overall health. Read on and stay hydrated and flourishing!
1. LARQ Pure Vis
Best For | Overall use and filtration
Features | Self-cleaning, smart notifications
Price Starting At | $99
Thanks to self-cleaning and advanced filtering abilities, the LARQ Pure Vis (with a filter cap!) is one of our favorite smart bottle options. The LARQ Pur Vis Cap fires up its UV-C light technology every two hours to deactivate 99% of bacteria in your water or looming in your bottle. The compatible filter cap uses plant-based Nano Zero technology to remove up to 99% of particulate contaminants like lead, PFAS, and chlorine, so you can enjoy clean and good-tasting water practically anywhere. The LARQ keeps water cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours, and it charges via USB with one full charge lasting up to a month. The colored light system lets users know what mode and cycle the bottle is in, and it’ll also help you navigate the different modes, such as “adventure mode,” which delivers a higher amount of UV-C and is extremely useful when you are unclear about the water quality. LARQ products are rigorously tested in-house as well as by third parties. The LARQ Pur Vis comes in several colors and 17-ounce or 25-ounce capacity options, and you can personalize your bottle with up to 10 letters for an extra $15. Practical and fun.
Editor’s Review | “Officially, my LARQ bottle will be the last reusable water bottle I ever get (as long as I don’t lose it). It’s stylish, sturdy, and most importantly, it makes my water taste so good. This bottle is excellent for frequent travelers, off-grid hikers, and any folks who simply want to ensure the water they drink is safe, clean, and fresh.” Read our full review here.
ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
BEST BUY
2. HidrateSpark PRO Tumbler
Best For | Competitive types
Features | Find my bottle, personalized notifications, Bluetooth syncs to track water progress with SipSense technology
Price | $70
With all the things on our plate, remembering to drink water, let alone track our water intake, can be pretty hard. Enter the HidrateSpark Pro Tumbler. This 20oz smart tumbler may not have a Stanley-like handle, but it does feature SipSense technology, which tracks your every sip via a sensor puck at the bottom. The sensor puck emits a gentle reminder glow, allowing users to customize colors, patterns, and frequency to meet their intake goals. The sensor connects via Bluetooth to the cost-free Hidrate Spark app installed on your device. The Hydration Equation helps set goals considering your personal stats. For extra motivation, you can also opt-in for notifications and compete in hydration challenges to earn trophies for your efforts. If you get a kick from competition (and smart features), this one’s for you!
Customer Review | “Fun water bottle! I can compete with friends/coworkers and it reminds me when I need to take a drink. So far I’m doing great with this to remind me! It is very sturdy and I love the lights.” – Felterco (Read more reviews.)
ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
DICK’S
3. WaterH Vita Smart Bottle
Best For | Advanced water filtration
Features | Measuring water composition, hydration insights
Price | $80 for bottle and filter
The WaterH Vita Smart Bottle syncs with the WaterH app to track your intake. Take it a step further by adding the filtration upgrade. The Vita is made of dual-walled medical-grade stainless steel, features a finger loop for portability, is powder-coated with a matte finish for durability, and is cupholder-compatible. It’ll keep bevies cold for up to 24 hours, hot for 12, and submerged up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. The Vita contains a built-in sensor to track hydration and sends reminders when to drink. The WaterH app assigns a health and hydration coach to make custom recommendations to help you reach your goals. WaterH Vita users control their reminder type, whether that be a chime, a buzz, or even a glow. In addition, this coach offers insights into your hydration patterns. As an added feature, the Vita measures the amount of Total Dissolved Solids in your water. (A high TDS can indicate poor water quality, so we recommend upgrading your Vita with filtration!) And the filtration system captures potential contaminants like chlorine, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals. It might be some of the best water you’ve ever had.
Customer Review | Love this bottle! Especially when you work from home and jump from meeting to meeting, it can be difficult to consume enough water. Keeping hydrated is made easier by the WaterH bottle. It has taken me a few days to feel more energetic. Highly recommended. – N (Read more reviews.)
ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
AMAZON
4. Lifestraw Go Series Stainless Steel
Best For | Travel
Features | Low-tech, advanced purification, large storage capacity, BPA-free membrane microfilter, and activated carbon filter
Price | $60
The LifeStraw Go Series Stainless Steel 40-ounce bottle offers travelers a large capacity of purified water no matter where their journey takes them. LifeStraw’s low-tech 2-stage filtration system uses a membrane microfilter to protect drinkers from bacteria, parasites, and microplastics. The carbon filter eliminates chlorine, organic chemicals, and odors for better-tasting water. The double-wall vacuum system keeps liquids cold. During a power outage or when you go through TSA security, Lifestraw has you covered in safe drinking water because it contains no electronics or batteries. Lifestraw is registered B-Corp and Climate Neutral Certified. For every purchase you make, Lifestraw provides safe drinking water to a child in need for a year. Good for the world, and good for you.
Customer Review | “This lifestraw stainless steel water bottle with filter is awesome. The color is beautiful this is very well made. It removes microplastics and does so much more and improves the taste of the water. It super easy to use and carry. Also easy to clean. I highly recommend.” – D (Read more reviews.)
ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
REI
5. Grayl UltraPress Ti Purifier
Best For | Adventurers and outdoor athletes
Features | Lightweight, durable CP4 Grade 1 titanium, activated carbon
Price | $199
Although the Grayl UltraPress Ti comes in as the priciest bottle on our list, we consider it an investment in survival gear you won’t regret — especially if you like off-the-beaten-path adventure. This bottle might not offer reminders or track your intake but the technology behind the Ultrapress – and what makes this smart – is the design of the filtration system and the bottle itself, which not only cleans and stores your water but also comes with a removable outer cup that can put on an open fire to boil water for your food, coffee or tea. The UltraPress can purify 16.9 ounces of water in 10 seconds through the innovative cartridge filtration press system. The cartridge filter removes PFAS, lead, viruses, and protozoa while improving the water’s taste and smell regardless of its source. Because of the one-way valve system, users can add powder electrolyte mixes or even carbonated water to the bottle without destroying the filtration system. The Grayl bottle is made of titanium, which keeps it light for travel, and the compact size fits easily in a cup holder or even in your back pocket for easy access while out adventuring.
Customer Review | “Great quality, I like the press rather than straw type filter. The opening is just like a regular water bottle. I thought it would be a bit bigger than it is, but it does filter water quickly and you can refill. It’s very lightweight. I have not used the shell overheat. Peace of mind that the filter will clean just about anything out of the water.” – TC (Read more reviews.)
ALSO AVAILABLE AT:
REI
Featured image by LARQ Pure Vis
